library

It is a rare and beautiful moment when a book takes my breath away. A few months ago, I stopped to look at this one in a beloved local bookstore. I was hearing good things about it from other reviewers and I was delighted by the cover that greeted me in the store. I started to flip through it, ended up sitting down to read it, and then proceeded to the register to take it home. This book is captivating from end page to end page. A beautifully narrated and breathtakingly illustrated biography about Pura Belpré – the first Puerto Rican librarian in New York City. This book is a must see: Planting Stories The Life of Librarian and Storyteller Pura Belpré by Anika Aldamuy Denise, illustrations by Paola Escobar, 2019.

Let’s start off this post with a huge disclaimer. In no way am I suggesting or teaching how to steal library books and remove evidence of such criminal acts. This post is solely intended for fellow purchasers of library book sale discards that still have the plastic sleeves on them. Seriously, don’t steal books.

As any of my readers are well aware, I love shopping for used books. Library book sales are excellent resources as you are not only finding some great books at stellar prices, but you are also supporting the local library in their efforts of keeping open and current. I’m constantly amazed at the books I find discarded from the library, but I understand the reasons and gladly give them a loving home. The downside of library book sale finds is that they are most likely encased in plastic sleeves that can be dingy, torn and just plain unattractive. Now, I understand the purpose of those plastic sleeves, but they really aggravate me. For those books that only visit my home for a few weeks from the library, I can withstand the crinkly, slippery and shiny issues of the plastic covers. But when I’ve adopted them to my shelves, I like to see the books each day with their originally intended covers. So for a while now I’ve longed to discover an easy way to free the dust jackets from the plastic and be able to enjoy the books in a much more satisfying tactile way. My research on this however met multiple dead ends. Perhaps no one else cares like I do. Perhaps others don’t mind the plastic casings. But in the off chance that someone else would like to release their library discards, I’m giving you my steps to remove those plastic sleeves and restore the books to their former beauty. Read the full post…

Whew! Many apologies for the lack of posting recently. Traveling, sickness, general life craziness… those are my lame excuses. But I’m back, and there are lots of things to write about.

First up storytime tomorrow at 11 at Union Ave Books. Come on out locals and hear a cautionary tale by the infamous Mo Willems, Knuffle Bunny.

image from the Mo Willems Stuff blog

And now, some links! Oh, I have so many saved up from the last 2 weeks, but I’ll stick to 5 to save your poor browser from so much children’s book (and related) awesomeness. Read the full post…

About Me

Hello. I'm Caryn, passionate obsessor of children's picture books and an illustrator. This is where I share my ever-growing knowledge and love of children's books. I'll be reviewing books, sharing tips, and hopefully convincing the world of the loveliness of picture books.

Happy Juneteenth! On this important day commemorating the ending of slavery in the United States, one book came to mind immediately. Take a glimpse of this difficult, beautiful, and necessary book: Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans by Kadir Nelson, 2011.

A beautifully narrated and breathtakingly illustrated biography about Pura Belpré – the first Puerto Rican librarian in New York City. This book is a must see: Planting Stories The Life of Librarian and Storyteller Pura Belpré by Anika Aldamuy Denise, illustrations by Paola Escobar.

An incredible non-fiction picture book about the history of the Negro Leagues. A hefty book in size and information, overflowing with breathtaking paintings by Kadir Nelson, this is a book not to be missed by baseball lovers everywhere.

A special new book. A charming story about a little boy encountering a girl with noticeable disability and learning that making friends is not as hard as it feels sometimes. This book is like illustrated role-play, teaching how to handle specific situations. It opens conversations. It puts things into words that we don’t even know how to ask. And this book breaks several picture book “rules” for some really good reasons. Check out When Charley Met Emma by Amy Webb, illustrated by Merrilee Liddiard.

Today I wrestle with how to share a brilliantly clever, marvelously illustrated book. It is a story, quite simply, about walls. It is a surprising story, a hilarious story, a fun and thought-provoking story. Don’t miss this one. It is worth reading, talking about with everyone, and reading aloud to anyone: The Wall in the(…)

The newest one to our stack is Memphis, Martin, and the Mountaintop: The Sanitation Strike of 1968 by Alice Faye Duncan, illustrated by R. Gregory Christie, 2018. It is a lengthier picture book, a combination of poetry and prose, based on a teacher who participated in the strike and marches in Memphis as a child. Come learn along with me.

Today’s book is another well-known song, this time without explanation; but rather exquisitely illustrated, depicting a beautiful interpretation of the song’s message of faith, trust, family, and nature.